Not all home care is the same. The two most common types — companion care and personal care — serve different needs, involve different caregiver skill sets, and are priced differently.
Companion care: what it is
Companion care is non-medical support focused on social engagement, safety, and help with daily tasks that don’t require hands-on physical assistance. It typically includes companionship and conversation, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders (not administration), errands, grocery shopping, and transportation to appointments.
Companion care is often the right starting point for seniors who are largely independent but benefit from consistent support and a safety net.
personal care: what it is
personal care includes everything companion care covers, plus hands-on assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): bathing and showering assistance, dressing and grooming, toileting and incontinence care, transferring (bed to wheelchair, chair to standing), mobility assistance, and feeding assistance if needed.
personal care requires more training, more physical capacity, and more trust between caregiver and client.
How to figure out which level your parent needs
The honest question is: what can my parent safely do on their own? Many clients need both — personal care for specific tasks combined with the companionship and practical support that fills the rest of the care hours.
What about skilled care?
Skilled home care — provided by registered nurses or therapists — is a third category. It’s medical, typically ordered by a physician, time-limited, and covered (partially) by Medicare or Medi-Cal. Skilled care and personal care often run in parallel after a hospitalization.
Getting the level right
The most common mistake is starting with too little — choosing companion care when the person actually needs personal care — and then managing avoidable safety incidents as a result.
Schedule a free assessment with Care partners — we’ll be straight with you about what level of support makes sense.